Renewal
by Sephiroth's Kitsune
Summary: Vincent, Cloud, and Sephiroth touch on a sensitive subject. (Non-Yaoi) Rated for slight masochism and language. The story is a lot better than my bad summary!


Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or it's characters, just this story.

Warning: Slightly dark theme and censored cursing.

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'Never had I imagined the scars beneath those black gloves. Those jagged lines and bright red streaks.'

Vincent sat lightly on the plush bed, face contorted in thought, gripping the satin sheets with white knuckles. Sephiroth stood opposite him leaned back against the wall, his arms crossed in defiance as he glared at the form on the mattress. Cloud too was present, perched like an angel on the dresser, tilted forward in concern.

"Vin-"

"I don't want to talk about it," Vincent snapped at the blonde but remained unmoving.

Cloud sat back, resting his bare spine against the mirror. The cool glass was a pleasant touch on Cloud's warm body. He was still calming from their heated match only moments before.

The ex-SOLDIER had been passing by the red stained room on his way to bed, dressed naught but in his silken black boxers, when he had peered in at Vincent. The vampiric man had had a long dagger partially through his left palm and was proceeding to twist the handle and the imbedded blade. Cloud had then thrown the door wide and extracted the weapon from his crimson-eyed companion, hurling the offending object and themselves off the other side of the bed. The commotion had alerted the other occupants of the mansion to the problem. Sephiroth was the first to arrive and upon seeing the wrestling boys turned the other guests away at the door and followed by clicking the door in place in its frame. Immediately after Sephiroth tore the two apart and set them in their current resting places.

Now sitting without his gauntlet and fingerless glove all of Vincent's self-inflicted wounds were visible. Cloud ruffled his hair, closing his eyes in the process, and hopped from the dresser top.

"Look Vincent," Cloud said and held up his hands to stop the coming interruption, "You're going to talk to us or we're not going to leave."

"Then make yourselves comfortable," Vincent snorted and flicked an ebony strand out of his eye.

Cloud let out a long breath as Vincent lay down and flipped the black comforter over himself and lidded his eyes. Cloud really wasn't up to this in the middle of the night; he had already been fatigued before his tumble with the troubled man in front of him. Vincent's eyes flew open when he felt the bed depress behind him. He bolted upright and looked over. Sephiroth was stretched out with his legs crossed at the ankles and his hands behind his head, eyes shut in attempted sleep.

"What are you doing?" Vincent asked exasperatedly.

One glowing emerald eye cracked open, "You did say make yourselves comfortable."

Inspired Cloud walked over and sprawled on the full-queen sized bed next to the silver-haired figure. Vincent frowned when he noticed Sephiroth had rolled over to make more room for the blonde and subsequently taken over most of his space. With an indignant grunt Vincent flopped back down, bouncing on the fluffed pillow and hair splaying over Sephiroth's face.

It was early in the morning the next day that Vincent was rudely awakened. Cloud had managed to maneuver himself to have his head on Vincent's chest and the rest of him trail over Sephiroth and off the edge of the bed. And damn could he snore.

Vincent grumbled and slid out from beneath the boy only to find his wrist locked tightly in Sephiroth's hand.

"We're not leaving, and you're not leaving until this is sorted out," the black angel said, his eyes still shut and Cloud still snoring.

Vincent desperately tried to wretch his hand away but found his efforts utterly useless. Surely the force he was using was enough to pull the older man clean off the bed, Cloud with him, yet he remained stationary. That's when he noticed that Cloud's left leg had wrapped around the bed post and he was holding tight to Sephiroth's waist, yet still snoring mind you. Realizing there was no escape Vincent sat back on the edge of the bed, hiding his marred hands beneath him.

Cloud slowly sat up and stretched, elbows and back sliding and popping into place.

"Now," Cloud yawned, rubbing his eyes free of sleep, "Why the hell have you been torturing yourself like this?"

Vincent stared at the ground, his sight unfocused and blank.

"You will talk soon," Sephiroth spoke, propping himself up, "Because frankly I have to go and I'm not going to let you take your sweet time to get this out."

Cloud smiled, baring his perfect white teeth, "And God forbid someone be in the bathroom when he finally gets out of here," Cloud laughed.

Vincent couldn't help but grin himself. Cloud always made him happier. But then again, Cloud was part of the problem, everyone was.

An odd thought skirted across his mind, "Why do you two care anyway?"

A small light sparked in Cloud's drowsed eyes, "Is that what this is about? That we don't care about you?"

Vincent felt heat rising to his cheeks, feeling suddenly ashamed and embarrassed for harboring the deep sense of loneliness and hid his face behind his long tresses. Cloud crawled over Sephiroth and hugged the disheartened boy to him.

"Of course we care," Cloud murmured, squeezing gently.

"What do you mean you care? You all never talk to me, never invite me to anything, never ask my opinion. What would ever make you think I'd believe you care?" the memories of being totally alienated came flooding back.

"Heh," Sephiroth laughed softly, "Now where have I heard this before?"

Cloud mimicked his smirk, "Yeah," Cloud sat back, "Sephiroth went through the same thing."

"What?" Vincent's head snapped up and he turned to stare at the former captain.

A coy smiled spread across Sephiroth's face, "I'll give the same speech the little blonde brat gave me. We don't ask because we care. When we asked in the past you always said no, preferring to keep to yourself and away from general activity with others. The insults that generally came with your refusals didn't exactly do much to encourage our continued questions."

"So regardless if you want us to keep bugging you we will," Cloud shrugged. "But don't you ever think we don't care. And for God's sake stop doing this to yourself," he grabbed the bandaged blood-caked hand.

The door burst open.

"The f-ing little b-tches used up all the damn hot water again!" Cid threw his towel on the ground.

Quickly realizing that Cid had just been in the restroom and was now out and all the girls had taken care of their morning business, Sephiroth bolted out and down the stairs wearing only his long black sweat pants.

Cloud laughed at Cid's confused expression.

"What the f-ck was that about?"

"Absolutely nothing," Vincent grinned.

"The hell!? He took the bathroom!" Cid ran off as well.

The two remaining laughed, falling back on the bed in their fits.

Once he had caught his breath Cloud spoke, "So I guess Sephiroth's departure means we're all squared away then right?"

"Yeah."

Cloud smiled again and got up, making his way to the door.

"Hey Cloud?" Vincent called after him.

"Yeah?" Cloud turned in the door way.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Owari.

A/N: Ok little note for you all; Real men don't talk about their problems like that!! I doubt you'll ever find a guy who will actually reply yes to you when you ask "Do you want to talk about it?" But if you do, I admire the man of whom you're speaking! Oh and don't forget to review!

Sephiroth's Kitsune


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